Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-09-15
THE OAK VIEW CONFERENCES.

The Attitude of Mr.. Randall in Relation
Thereto and the Intent of tho Conferee,
The Sugar Tariff as q Factor OF tho Dis
cussion.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8. Congressman
Mills, of Texas, continues to deny the
statements that he has taken part in the
Oak View conferences. There is no doubt
however, that his views on the important
tariff question will soon be sought by the
President, especially as Mr.. Mills is slated
for the craftsmanship of the ways and
means committee. Mr.. Randall's position
is defined by one in his confidence, who
claims to know what he is talking about,
as follows:
3Mr. Randall has no desire to take part
in the conference at all. He stands exact.
T. ly where he stood last winter, and de-
mands exactly what he demanded in the
bill then introduced by him. He insists on
the abolition of the tobacco tax, and of all
taxes on alcoholic spirits used in the arts
and sciences, but will not consent to any
disturbance Of the iron or wool tariff. II
is safe to say that Mr.. Randall will make
no compromises with this position. He
believes he has stronger following in the
Fiftieth Congress than he had in the
Forty eighth or Forty ninth, and accord
ingly grows sitter every day. On the
other hand, the conferees at Oak View
have not thought of inviting Mr.. Randall
to participate in the framing of the Adj
inistration Revenue bill. His attitude
is SO sharply defined that it would be inl-
possible to regard him as harmonious
ingredient. The plan is to formulate the
bill first and then to invite Mr.. Randall to
approve and support it. And that has
been the plan from the outset. There is
no talk in any responsible quarter of
reading of Mr.. Randall out Of the party,
or of treating him with any degree Of
discourtesy and contempt. The fAdmin-
istration bill will be prepared, and then
Mr.. Randall, in common with other DEM
ocrats Of prominence, will be asked to
vote for it. If he can not do so, that will
be his affair.""
This is an accurate and authentic state
ment of Mr.. Randall's relation to the con.
ference now holding at Oak View, and in
cidentally Of the relations Of the Oak View
conferees to Mr.. Randall.
Apropos Of the sugar tariff it is under
stood that Mr.. Randall will resist any at.
tempt to disturb it, at least during the
next session of Congress. He regards thu
sugar tariff as the only recognition &C.
corded the South in the protection
scheme, and insists that it be preserved.
Furthermore, it is his opinion that tho
hDOllU.Ou Oh the TAX WOulu uOG give Gn6
country cheaper sugar, since Spain, which
is sadly out at elbow and conspicuously
frugal, would in such an event, at once affi4
an export duty to the article and thereby
transfer to its own treasury the revenue
we had resigned.
1t is worthy of remark just here that
Messers. Carlisle, Morrison, Frank Hurd
and the leaders of the revenue reform
movement, who also object to the aboli-
ton of the sugar tariff, proceed upon a
totally different hypothesis. They hold
that the tax on sugar is not protective
but is essentially a revenue tax. They
say, as is VIGOROUSLY the fact, that the
sugar tariff protects practically nothing
and nobody. 1t yields some $50, 100000 of
revenue. but does not involve protection to
the extent of more than one-sixteenth of
that sum. They adopt the
sugar tax, therefore, on economic
principles, and not as a temporary party
aynadiapt